Improvement in folding chairs



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS HIGKMAN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,098, dated August 24, 1875; application filed Y April 1, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS HIGKMAN, of Reading, in the county of Berks and in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved folding chair, the parts of which, when closed, will all lie iu one and the same plane, and occupy but little space, the chair being intended particularly for halls, theaters, and other crowded public places.

The invention consists of a chair composed of three pieces or parts of any suitable material, pivoted or hinged together in such manner that when unfolded two of the parts will form the legs and back of the chair, and the remaining part the seat of the same, and when folded will all fallin the same plane, as will be hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a perspective View of my invention with the parts unfolded, and Fig. 2 a view of the Asame with the parts closed or folded.

The letter A represents the part of the chair which forms, the back and front legs of the same, and B the part which forms the rear legs and support for the front of the seat. These two parts are pivoted together or hinged at b b, andwhen folded fall in the same plane, as shown in Fig. 2, taking the form of a letter X when unfolded, as indicated in Fig. 1. B represents the seat, constructed of any suitable material, pivoted or hinged at b b within the upper part of the piece or frame A. Said seat is provided with a notch or catch, C, on its under side, which locks against the end of the piece or part B when the seat is turned down, and prevents the parts from slipping. The part B is provided with a slot, w, at its rear end, so that when it is folded up within the part Aa space is provided for the upper end of the part B to lie within.

It will be seen that in my construction of chair I need no round. The legs and braces are broad, and give great strength to the chair, and my chair when sawed out in the form shown is composed of simply three pieces.

rEhe various parts are preferably constructed of lumber, and saWed from one piecefor the sake of economyallrfghtljyhiay lemiade of andtlrmsitable material, such as castiron, wrought-iron, or a combination of such materials and wood; or the frame or piece A may be made of bent or set7 lumber, and the chair of any other convenient or suitable material.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy The within-described chair, consisting of the part A, cut out as shown, the part Bl hinged thereto, and having slot a0 and stop C, and the part B hinged about midway to the part A, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of March, 1875.

FRANCIS HICKMAN. 

